CH 15

Chapter Title: Food Acquisition

「Oh, Elt, let’s go this way next. There’s a tree that bears delicious fruit.」

「Don’t run too fast or you’ll fall.」

I chided Serena as she ran, looking at me excitedly.

「It’s fine. This area is like a garden to me.」

Serena moves around energetically, but a branch gets caught in her skirt and she loses her balance.

「Aaah!」

「Damn it. I told you.」

I helped Serena up when she fell and helped her up.

「Itatata……」 1

「Are you hurt?」

「No, I’m fine. Thanks.」

As soon as she got up, she let go of my hand and brushed the dirt off her skirt.

「What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to walk in front of me?」

I asked Serena as she stared walking next to me

「I was wondering if Elt would help me the next time I fall.」

For some reason, she assumed that she would fall again.

「I’m getting pretty stocked up on fruits. I also need some animal meat.」

I’m currently getting ready to leave the lost forest.

I’m going to get a map, but I don’t know how long it will take to get one here. I’m going to at least make sure I have plenty of food beforehand.

That’s why I asked Serena to show me around, and she agreed, so here she is showing me around the collection site.

「The only animals around here are monsters, right? It’s impossible for a weak creature to survive in this forest.」

Serena said this as she put her hand over her mouth.

「Just by Serena’s standards, is there a monster in here that has good meat?」

I’m fed up with just eating fruit all the time. So I asked her.

「Let me see, maybe a drill bird or a charging bull?」

「What kind of monsters are those?」

「The drill bird is a bird that flies with a spinning beak, and if you don’t take it seriously, you’ll get a hole in your body. The charging bull charges at you with great force, and if you get hit by him, you will get a hole in your body.」

Either way, you’ll get a hole in your body.

「Do you think I could beat them?」

Maybe it’s a boss around here, and I don’t know if I can deal with it, so I asked her.

「Yes, I think it’s fine. When all the elves are hunting together, it takes several people with my brother in frontline to defeat them, but Elt can do it by myself.」

She smiles at me, full of trust.

「Well, let’s give it a try……」

Either way, I couldn’t choose not to do it because of the delicious meat. I decided to take on the challenge, even though Serena was showing me around here.

「Did we get enough of them?」

After that, Serena led me to the monster nest and I hunted about ten drill birds and then charging cows.

「It’s more than enough. You took them all out in one hit while we were struggling to take one down, right?」

The monsters weren’t as strong as Serena said. It seems that the Bloody Ogre and the Bloody Eye were exceptionally strong in this area.

「One of each will be enough for me. The rest can be divided among the villagers.」

The purpose was to gain combat experience, but I had a feeling that I had learned sword techniques from that fight with Phill.

So, as for the meat I got, I can offer it to everyone in the village as thanks for taking care of me.

「Hmmm, I wonder if I’ll ever be able to consume this much… That’s right! I’ll process it to make it last longer.」

Serena clapped her hands together as if she just got a good idea.

「Mmm-hmm」 2

She was in a good mood as she dismantled the drill bird.

This was the village workshop, and Serena was dismantling the prey one by one at the table

「Serena. I’ve got everything hanging for now.」

「Ah, yeah. I’m coming over.」

She says this and comes to my side. She instructs me to dismantle the meat.

I hung the meat with a rope.

「Yes, it’s hanging nicely. Let’s get started……」

She was saying something as she closed her eyes.

「Spirits of fire and wind. Please!」

Then the wind blows from Serena and starts shaking the raw meat. The raw meat starts changing.

The surface began to dry out due to the wind’s pressure.

「So this is the power of the spirits. How convenient.」

「Actually, we should have dried the meat in the sun, but we have a fire spirit that heats the meat and sends the wind to it.」

No wonder it’s so warm. After a while, Serena stopped the wind.

「Now, let’s move on for now.」

I retrieve the meat and follow her.

The next place we arrived at was a squeare with just a roof. Each place had a handle that opened up to reveal hooks with haning meat.

「Serena, what is this place?」

I asked and Serena turned around.

「It’s a place used to grill things. If you hunt a lot of meat, you can’t keep it for a long time. After the moisture is removed, the meat is grilled to preserve it for a long time. Have you ever done this before, Elt?」

「I’ve eaten it before, but I’ve never done it myself.」

When you live in a city, you buy things like that so you don’t have to make them yourself.

「If you don’t mind, I’d like to learn how to do it.」

I stand behind Serena as my interest is piqued.

「Yes, of course. I’ve got chips here made from all kinds of trees. Whiskey goblins, gourmets, gobcols, dragon walks…」

「Which one is it?」

「If you want to add bitterness, try Dragon Walk. If you prefer something lighter, try Gokol. I wonder which one Elt likes better?」

One chip seems to change the flavor, so I’m worried.

「Do you preffer it bitter?」

「Yes. I think I’ll have a dragon walk then.」

Serena put the wood chips down and lit the fire.

「It’s quite a lot of smoke, isn’t it?」

The smoke rose from the bottom and escaped to the top. He realized that the box shape was used to keep the smoke in.

「All we have to do is to let it smoke for a day and a night and it’s done.」

「I see……」

I observed the scene with interest for a while, and then…….

「Elt, look at me.」

「Yes? Munch!」

Something hot was shoved into his mouth. Serena was in a good mood and pulled out her fork. I bite into it and the flavor of the meat fills my mouth along with the juices.

「Here’s a steak from a charging bull. I’m going to grill the rest, but since it’s so fresh, we should eat some of it.」

Before I knew it, she had heated up a stone table and was cooking the meat there. I could smell the burning meat and it made me want to eat more.

「Yes, it’s still good. Thanks to Elt.」

Using the same fork, Serena looked very happy as she ate the steak.

「This sure is good. Can I have some more too?」

「Of course. I’ll bake some more and feed you.」

I had never had such delicious meat in the city. After this, Serena and I continued to eat the meat together while grilling the rest of it.